Heavenly Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal

I’m still digging up cookbook recipes that I didn’t include in the final book. It’s like finding buried treasures in my Google document! The beauty of all the recipe testing that went down over the past 2 years is that I have so much inspiration leftover to tweak and share here – such as this baked carrot cake oatmeal. It was a big hit with my recipe testers, but ultimately I decided to go with the baked apple and pear oatmeal for the book, knowing I would eventually share this version on the blog anyway. My stove-top Carrot Cake Oatmeal has been popular over the years, so this baked version was a natural next step. And boy, is this baked version incredible. It tastes so much like carrot cake I almost thought I was eating the real thing. Add a dollop of coconut whipped cream on top and you are well on your way to breakfast nirvana. I’m thinking it would be a great addition to an Easter brunch too!

/ Behind the Scenes: Cookbook, Part 1: Recipe Testers /

I haven’t written much about the behind the scenes of cookbook creation, but I thought I would share the process a bit more now that I’m not juggling both things at once. Initially, I wanted to share the process in real time, but I quickly realized that I needed to get through it once before I felt like I could share anything helpful. It took a long time before I felt like I had a good system in place. I felt like a crazy person most of the time. Lots of trial and error. If I write a second cookbook, I hope that the organizational flow goes a bit more smoothly. Wishful thinking, maybe!

Anyway, I’m going to first tell you about my cookbook angels, otherwise known as my recipe testers. Writing a cookbook is much different than blogging, I soon found out. On the blog I have immediate feedback (some of you make my new recipes within the hour and let me know how it went!) and it’s easy to know if I’m on the right track, but with a cookbook there’s always that sense of unease and doubt. I felt like I was blindly trudging along each day hoping my instincts and taste buds were not leading me astray. I always asked myself, “Would my blog readers enjoy this? Would someone who’s not into vegan cooking enjoy it too?” And once it’s in print…well, it’s in PRINT! An intimidating thought. Two and a half years proved to be a very long time to wait for feedback from you (and other vegan-interested/healthy food/glow-seeking peeps!); that’s why my recipe testers are so important. They let me know if I was on the right track or veering off course; at least, when it came to the recipes. My editor helped me with the written portion of the book (intro, chapter openers, headnotes, and overall flow) and pushed me to keep digging deep to allow my story to flow into words.

At first, I felt overwhelmed because I didn’t know how I would find the time to organize a recipe testing group while doing everything else, but we eventually came up with a system that worked for us. Eric created a private blog just for my recipe testers. Once I gathered my group of recipe testers (family, friends, and blog readers/bloggers), I gave them the password to the private blog. I started posting potential cookbook recipes 2-3 times a week (with a photo for each) to the site for over 6-8 months. The recipes took a long time to get through as you can imagine. Even though my posts on the blog dropped a lot some weeks, I was actually posting double or triple the content than what you saw here. In the comment section of each post, my recipe testers responded to a series of questions after they made the recipe. I wanted to know everything from recipe clarity to enjoyment rating (on a scale of 10) to whether their kids or husbands approved. And, of course, I only wanted honest feedback! No sugar coating. The beauty of using a private blog is that everything is in one tidy spot and all of the feedback for each recipe is posted directly below it. Anything that makes life a bit easier is a plus in my books.

Here are some of the questions I asked my recipe testers:

How long did it take you to prepare the recipe (prep time)?

Rate this recipe on a scale of difficulty (1 – Easiest, 10 – Most Difficult)

Were the directions clear and concise? If no, please describe.

Did you do something different from the directions? If so, what did you change?

Were the ingredients readily available?

Were the “number of servings” correct? If no, please describe how many servings you got.

Rate how much you enjoyed the recipe on a sale of 1 to 10 (1 = didn’t like it at all and 10 = best recipe ever)

Is this kid/partner approved? (Yes/No/Not applicable):

Would you make this recipe again (yes or no) and why?

I’m sure these questions felt tedious to answer over and over and over, but it was personally so helpful, and it let me know if I needed to re-vamp a recipe or move forward.

When I dug up this oatmeal recipe and re-tested it recently, I thought it would also be fun to share some of the comments my recipe testers left about this carrot cake baked oatmeal. These comments are from over a year ago in February 2013!

“Grandpa liked it and even helped me make it (he grated the carrots). This recipe is a breakfast dish, but I think it is so tasty that it could be a pudding/cake dish too!”

“I’d say the number of servings is 6 because it’s the kind of recipe you can’t stop eating.”

“Healthy enough for breakfast, but tasty enough for dessert!”

“Yes, good variation on oatmeal. I would increase the raisins in my kid version to increase the sweetness for them.”

“My 9-month daughter seem interested in trying this and she loved it!”

Thank you, my dear recipe angels. And that goes for all of you who leave valuable feedback here on the blog each week! Your comments are not only helpful for me, but for others thinking about making the recipe or adapting it in various ways.

Here is the photo that I originally shot for the cookbook. At least, it gets to see the light of day! I’m glad this recipe does too. It’s a good one.

4.8 from 46 reviews

Heavenly Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal

Vegan, gluten-free, oil-free, soy-free

By Angela Liddon

Carrot cake lovers, this one is for you! Refined-sugar free and packed with carrots, this baked oatmeal has all the taste of the popular dessert with a healthier whole-grain twist. Try it for a lazy weekend breakfast and enjoy the leftovers in the days to come. I love this served with a dollop of my coconut whipped cream and a pinch of cinnamon. Heck, it even makes a nice snack or dessert too. Actually, there isn't a time of the day when I won't eat this oatmeal. Baked oatmeal isn't just for mornings anymore!

Pour mixture into prepared dish and smooth out with a spoon. Press down on the oatmeal with a spoon (or your hands) so the oats sink into the milk. Sprinkle on the walnuts and raisins and press down lightly again.

Bake, uncovered, for 32-37 minutes (I baked for 35 mins.) until lightly golden along edge. The oatmeal will still look a bit soft or wet in some spots when it comes out of the oven, but it will firm up as it cools.

Let cool for about 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with Coconut Whipped Cream, a drizzle of maple syrup, or some non-dairy yogurt. When the baked oatmeal is fully cool, it will firm up enough to be sliced into squares.

Leftovers should keep for 3 days or so in the fridge or up to 2 weeks in the freezer. This is merely a guess because we tend to demolish all leftovers within a day. Enjoy it warm, at room temp, or chilled straight from the fridge.

Tips:

For a nut-free option replace the almond milk with a nut-free non-dairy milk, such as coconut milk. Omit the walnuts (you can try sunflower seeds or pepita seeds for a crunch).

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/ OSG Virtual Cookbook Tour Reviews /

Lastly, I have more cookbook reviews to share with you. Thanks again to all the lovely bloggers who took part. You can find the full list of reviews on my book page.

Angela, I mixed this up and put it in the fridge the night before and then added the walnuts and raisins right before cooking. It cooked in about 25 min and worked great! Oh, and I added fresh pineapple before cooking too, you have to try it!!! This was amazing and my 2 year old gobbled it up. I wrote a blog post about my version of this recipe on my site: laughingfoxcrafts.wordpress.com/2014/03/23/springtime-joy-and-carrot-cake-baked-oatmeal/

I can’t wait to get your cookbook! How can I sign up to be a tester for your next cookbook? I’ve been making so many of your recipes for years now!

Looks really delicious! I’m in the UK and am currently a meat-eater who became ‘vegan-curious’ 2 months ago, and am so glad to have found you and your blog! Your book arrived yesterday which is my first ever cookbook(!) and a vegan one to boot. So excited to make recipes that are packed full of healthy ingredients :)

I’ve never eaten baked oatmeal before–I guess I’ll have to try it now! This looks scrumptious, and it doesn’t hurt to get in a serving of vegetables during breakfast too. I’ll bet I could try a sweet potato baked oatmeal version, too, since I tried your sweet potato chocolate oatmeal and that was quite the blissful breakfast.

I just wanted to take a moment and thank you for your all your wonderful recipes! They’re amazing, I’ve been a huge fan of the blog for a while and never really commented, I got the recipe book as soon as it was available to ship to the UK and have already made so many recipes from it and they’re all delicious.

What I love most is that they are simple, quick and easy to cook with fantastic delicious results! I also like that I have most ingredients at home all the time, that there’s no need for spices that you’ll only use once etc.

I’m looking forward to trying more recipes, your cookbook made me really excited about cooking because I always know the result will be great! I’m going to make the chocolate-espresso torte this weekend and I bet it will be amazing (I can also already bet on what my partner will say about it “it’s really good, but not as good as the peanut butter and jam nanaimo bars” which are his favourite).

Thanks again, you’ve definitely improved my cooking (and eating) and most of all just made me really excited about cooking again!

Hey Manuela,
Well I have to thank you for this lovely comment and all your support! I’m so happy to hear how much you are enjoying the recipes. Thank you for putting a big smile on my face! Good luck with the chocolate torte too…it’s a fav of ours.

I am so making this for breakfast tomorrow! If it had popped up in my feedly 30 minutes earlier it would have been made today. I was seriously at a loss for breakfast mojo this morning.
Mmm and most certainly will finish with a healthy glugg of maple syrup!

Aw, I love the second secret blog idea! Putting carrots in oatmeal has just never seemed right to me, but I have way too many carrots in my fridge right now and I do have to admit that this looks delicious, so maybe I should try! Hope to see more almost-cookbook recipes (:

that’s a good question! I don’t believe I’ve made baked oatmeal with steel-cut oats before. I would yield to the directions and liquid amounts on the package (I think they take a while to cook right? 45-50 mins if I recall?) let me know how it goes!

I just made this recipe, it is very tasty, but not quite carrot cake. I believe the tendency of steel cut oats to congeal would give this recipe more of a bar/square consistency. Now I’ll have to create this carrot oatmeal bar recipe. Thank you for the inspiration,

Gosh I bet the taste testers had so much fun tasting and testing your recipes! What a neat ideal to keep it all a secret from us and use a private blog!! That is so creative and I love the colors in this carrot cake oatmeal!!

Hi! I bought your cookbook the day it was out and I’ve already made two recipes from it that were FABULOUS. The goddess bowl and the cream of tomato soup. My friend (who is actually a vegetarian, I am not) made the bars with chia seeds and the donuts. We both love your cookbook. I only dabble in vegan cooking but I’m majorly impressed!

Holy carrot cake Batman! I love love baked oatmeal. I can pop a bit into a dish and cart to work each morning. Breakfast to go is a thing with me. I have the ingredients for this at home, so I’m thinking this will happen tonight. Loved the insight to the cookbook process…so laborious but we love you for it. Made the sweet potato/black bean enchiladas last night (and posted on Instagram)…omnivore hubby is already asking me to make them again soon. SOOOOO good. As always…thanks for all you do!!

I need to get on the baked oatmeal train like 10 minutes ago ;) Oatmeal is my go to and favourite breakfast in the morning and this looks fantastic! I loved reading about how you went testing your recipes – very creative and efficient [and some very lucky and happy taste testers I imagine!] :D

Finally got my cookbook from Amazon!!! I am preparing a birthday dinner from it this weekend- someone told me to not try new recipes for such an occasion. I assured them that NOTHING I have ever tried from your blog has failed me, and I know it will be a success!!
Baked oatmeal for breakfast tomorrow.

This was fascinating Angela. Thank you for sharing how you tested the recipes! I received my copy of the book Monday and have already made and LOVED the metabolism boosting green citrus tea, out the door chia power doughnuts, and life affirming warm nacho dip. My husband has already requested I make the broccoli and cashew cheese quinoa burrito for dinner :)

I’ve never tried baked oatmeal before but this looks delicious! I eat stove top oatmeal every morning but think I will give this a shot soon :) I love the idea of having it as dessert, I can seriously eat oatmeal as any meal!

So cool to hear what happened “behind-the-scenes” with the cookbook. I bought the e-book version the other day, and am LOVING working my way through the recipes. Seriously, the book is awesome. Looking forward to the next one!!

I think I just died and went to heaven. This recipe looks absolutely delicious! I am currently studying abroad in Spain so this is definitely going to be one of the first things I try upon returning home! I simply just can’t resist anything with carrot cake in the title!

Love the baked oatmeal!! I have never tried baking carrot cake oats-but will need to do that soon! When I make “carrot cake oatmeal” on the stovetop, I love to add a little coconut cream, and some toasted coconut flakes. I just love the coconut and carrot! And come to think of it, fresh pineapple would be great in a carrot cake-themed oat dish, too, since it is a staple ingredient in my carrot cake muffins!! Yum!

I think it’s the difference between stage acting & movie acting. In stage acting, you get one take, whereas with movies, you get lots of edits. This is one reason I love blogging. At any time I can tweak a recipe based on a reader’s feedback…or delete it entirely!

Writing a book versus a blog post is also a different ball game. Blogging is a great way to test the waters, but as you point out, once it’s in print, it’s in print! I can imagine how that must have been a bit stressful.

i got your cookbook from barnes and noble just about a week ago. i’ve already made the chia donuts, the tomato soup with the chickpea croutons, and the sweet potato enchiladas are next on my list this week. i actually had some people ask if they could taste the chickpea croutons today. i kept them frozen and reheated in a toaster oven we have at work per your cookbook advice and they made the faculty room smell wonderful. i am not vegan but i love dabbling in cooking all types of food. …just have to say, your recipes are always outstanding! every single recipe of yours that i have made has been a crowd-pleaser and that compliment comes from all non-vegans. i took your peanut butter cups to our holiday luncheon and several people begged me for the recipe. keep up the great work!

hey, I’m just starting on the road to a healthier lifestyle, slowly switching to a vegan, gluten, free diet. I’ve been working through some of the recipes in your book :)

I’m wondering which you find the most useful for this type of diet, a blender or a food processor. From what I’ve read it’s worth spending the extra for the most expensive models, but then I can only afford one and I’d like to know which you think I’d get the most mileage and flexibility from.

Oh, that’s a tough one! I think I use my blender more often, but just by a little bit maybe. I’m a bit smoothie person and usually make one a day. The processor is great for making nut butters, no bake desserts, or things like falafel or veg burgers too. I know some people make nut butter and hummus in Vitamix blenders, but I find it hard to scrape out of the container so I tend to use my processor for that. I def. think investing in good quality is a good idea. I went through a few blenders and food processors that broke before I finally saved up and purchased some better models.
Glad to hear you are cooking through recipes in the book! Hope you enjoy :)

I haven’t ever made baked oatmeal, but I wanted to try the one in your cookbook and this carrot one looks just as amazing! Especially with the coconut whipped cream! I might also add some diced pineapple, because I love pineapple in carrot cake :)

Even though I was only able to test a couple of the recipes, I loved being part of the group! And this recipe looks so beautiful. You know me and my love for carrots! ;) I’ve been reading your cookbook like a regular book since I got it and salivate over every photo. They are all so gorgeous!

Oh that really does sound heavenly!!! Running 80 miles a week right now means I need to keep my carb intake up, and oatmeal is the perfect breakfast to do that (or breakfast for dinner :P). As my peak races come up in the next few weeks, I look for ways to give my body the fuel it needs, while still allowing myself some foods that taste good! This is perfect :)

I’ve been trying to eat clean this year and while not even close to being perfect, my green smoothies have been getting me through the mornings. BUT I’m starting to tire of them so this oatmeal is happening. Likely in two days. Likely on Saturday morning. And will likely be gone with my Saturday tea in the afternoon.

I have made something from your cookbook every day since the day it was released! I have not stopped talking about it, sharing on Instagram and FB, and wowing friends and family with your delicious recipes! Thank you so much for your hard work!

Had to make this today – just ate a big bowl for dessert. It was of course amazing. Didn’t have walnuts or any dried fruit on hand so I just went without. I definitely would add those next time but it was amazing even plain!

Yum it was, even with substitutions!
Halved the recipe, replaced maple syrup with honey & almond milk with regular.
I topped it with a walnut/brown sugar/spelt flour streusel that gave it a crust to die for!

I have been following your blog for YEARS now and I am SO. PROUD. of you and your cookbook and your story and your accomplishments :)
Thank you so much for sharing the behind the scenes of your cookbook, I had no idea it was that intense. Wow. But good job and a huge congrats!

Made this last night (used 1% milk) and it was just as delicious as it looks and sounds. I have been into baked oatmeal for a couple of months now and it’s wonderful to have another version to mix things up. Thanks for all your excellent work on the blog and the book!

It’s like you read my mind- I was making the broccoli, quinoa and cashew cheese burritoes last night, and started wondering about just how you go about testing recipes for something like your book! The burritoes were delicious, btw, but I think the servings could be upped to 6 instead of 4… or else my tortilla wraps were too small :)

Beautiful job on the book- I know you must be sooooo proud, with excellent reason!

I made this today and it’s delicious! Didn’t have any coconut milk but will have to try it with the coconut cream next time. I’m recently veggie but really enjoying making your vegan recipes. Thanks for all the wonderful ideas.

I actually decided to make this for dinner tonight. I needed something fast and healthy that I already had the ingredients for. My 6 year old picky eater had three servings! My 10 month old loved it too. It was so easy to make and absolutely delicious! My 6 year old already asked to eat the leftovers for breakfast. I didn’t make the coconut whipped cream, but used soy milk to cool it off a little for the kids. It was really good that way too. Like eating a bowl of oatmeal.

Made this last night and it wasn’t a winner in our house. This is the first of many recipes I’ve made from your site that we didn’t love. It was dry and quite bland. Looks delicious just wasn’t that tasty. On to try more of your awesome recipes!

This looks so yummy. I can’t wait to try it. I am going to make it later today as a dessert. I also wanted to tell you that I bought your book last night. I was looking through it and it is a beautiful book. Everything looks so good. I have bought cookbooks before and most of the time only want to make a few recipes out of it, but I can tell you there are a ton of recipes in your book that I want to try. It is hard to know where to start. Thanks so much. I am excited to try your recipes.
Kathy

I’m from the UK and recently discovered (and am loving!) your blog. Tried out this recipe today and my belly is very happy!! I’ve packaged and frozen half of it, and put the other half in the fridge for snacks on the go. Topped it off with some almond butter for a yummy midnight snack :) Love it!

Going to try this one on Sunday morning, my one son is a big carrot cake fan, so I’m sure this will be a winner.

Wanted to say I preordered your book and LOVE it! The recipes and photos are amazing! We enjoyed your veggie burgers last night. It’s such a great book, I picked up a copy for my bestie today and am sending it to her.

Made this the day that you posted the recipe! You had me at carrot cake :) It turned out really great, and everyone else in the fam is enjoying it for breakfast too! As a student, this makes a really easy breakfast on those mornings I’m in a rush to get to the university. I heated up the oatmeal a bit, then added some more almond milk and pineapple before serving. So so tasty!

I’ve been following the blog for quite a long time now, and of course bought your cookbook as soon as it came out – it is so well done. I can tell how much love and care you put into each recipe. Congratulations on such a great job Angela!

Im am going to try this. Always looking for new oatmeal recipes. I could eat oatmeal for every meal! Also really loving your book so far. I’ve made the chia overnight oats and the choc shake and they are so delish. Looking forward to making more!

Dear Angela, I love all your recipes but your breakfast recipes are my favorites, having one more makes me so happy! I literally prepare one every day. I am so happy for your success , you deserve it , so much work and details to make it , I wouldn’t know. Thank for sharing we feel in a tiny way part of it too!

Oh my gosh, Angela. This looks amazing! I love carrot cake; we’re even thinking about having it at our wedding so this is a ‘must make’ asap. Thanks for the insider info into the cook book. I’ve always wondered about what goes into making it. That reminds me, I need to go get yours! Can’t wait for it! My fiance always loves my “oh she glows” dinners :)

I made this wonderful recipe this morning. Delicious. My husband loved it and so did I. We also had it tonight after dinner. It is like a dessert. Easy to make. I will definitely make this again. Especially for the grand kids or guests. Makes eating oatmeal a tasty treat!

I love that you’ve put so much effort to create something amazing for us to enjoy! Thanks so much! I can’t wait to work my way through your book. I’m not vegan but I absolutely love almost every single recipe you post! Also – my brother IS vegan and he LOVES when I cook for him :)
Anisa – The Macadame. xx
creamstop.com

OMG Angela its 4:20 am in Vegas and I turn on the tv HLN weekend express and your beautifullness was on doing your interview, you look great…. Hope sketchie is well as I was finally referred to a Cancer doctor and am working currently to see if I have leukemia. Well great job you . heck I don’t know you but you did wonderful great job you, maybe during my treatments when I start eating and walking again all focus on eating primarily Vegan not vegetarian. Well thanks … have a positive day

Hippy Mom–OMG Angela its 4:20 am in Vegas and I turn on the tv HLN weekend express and your beautifullness was on doing your interview, you look great…. Hope sketchie is well as I was finally referred to a Cancer doctor and am working currently to see if I have leukemia. Well great job you . heck I don’t know you but you did wonderful great job you, maybe during my treatments when I start eating and walking again all focus on eating primarily Vegan not vegetarian. Well thanks … have a positive day

I normally loathe grating carrots, but this recipe looked so simple that I had to try it! I’m so glad I did because I couldn’t believe how easy the ingredients came together and the taste is out of this world delicious that I almost want to serve it as dessert! I ended up printing out a copy of the recipe and added it to my copy of your cookbook.

I tried your recipe this morning with a few modifications (nutmeg, soy milk, pecans) and it turned out great. I wish I’d had some coconut milk in the fridge for the cream, but we had to forgo that part because I didn’t read ahead. :) Next time! Thank you so much and congratulations on the new book!

What do you mean IF you write another cookbook! Pitter patter, get at ‘er!
I am currently making recipe number six from your cook book. I am cooking my way thru it. So far, all worked very well. Your tempeh recipe has made me a tempeh believer. Thank you so much!

Hi Angela! I’ve been reading your blog for a few months now. I’ve made several recipes from the blog and your cookbook (which I’m SUPER excited about, btw. We’ve got 3 dinners planned from it this week!) and have loved every single one. So I decided that I can’t be silent anymore. It’s time to start leaving comments. :) This oatmeal was amazing! I saw the recipe last night and knew I was going to make it for breakfast this morning. (I’m pretty sure I dreamed about coconut whipped cream last night.) It made our kitchen smell heavenly, and my husband and 2 yo both loved it. Full disclosure: We didn’t have enough carrots, so I subbed kale. HA! Just kidding. :) I used sweet potatoes. Also added about 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg. I thought the sweetness was perfect. The fresh ginger adds a really great kick. I love the idea of adding pineapple (per an earlier comment). Maybe also some coconut? I’d also be interested in adding chia seeds (just for kicks) and wonder whether I’d need to up the amount of liquid. I’ll have to play around with it. Thank you for all the care you put into these recipes. They are a joy to read, see, make, eat, and share with friends and family. <3

I’m wondering – do all your recipes have nutrition info or just some of them? Also, is there a way to search for a specific recipe? I made a pot of black beans and wanted to type in recipes with black beans and see what comes up. Thanks for any help! LOVE your cookbook. :)

I made this last week and it was sooo good. I had a couple of serving for breakfast, and then dessert after dinner, and then breakfast again the next day. I am ready to make it again. Due to allergies, I didn’t add the walnuts and used rice milk. I also used the ground ginger instead of fresh. Thanks for a great recipe and congrats on the pregnancy!

Made this today and my husband and I both enjoyed it! He ate 1/2 the pan. I had to hide a piece to have as “dessert” later on. Thank you for all the time you put into creating such healthy, tasty food everyone can eat.

Springtime just turned to winter again in Pennsylvania so I whipped this breakfast up for a warm start to a cold day. It is absolutely delish and I would definitely make it again! Love the idea of adding pineapple, too! Thanks for all you do and I can’t wait to see how your new little one growing inside of you will inspire new recipes!

It’s a good one! Knew it would be a great breakfast after my Pilates class on a Saturday morning, so I mixed the dry ingredients ( and prepped the carrots) before class. Just added the wet and baked when we arrived home.
Healthy Yum, had leftovers 2 times this week.

Oh my goodness this is my new favorite breakfast! Unfortunately I didn’t have anyone to share it with (my boyfriend was turned off by the carrots – silly him for missing out), but I had 3 servings things week and froze 3 for next week. I topped it with a little bit of greek-style coconut yogurt and maple syrup and it was divine. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

This baked carrot cake oatmeal is minutes away from coming out of my oven. So hungry I don’t know if I’ll be able to let it cool for a full 10 minutes. :) Yesterday I bought 2 copies of your book!! One for me and one for my mom.
Thanks Angela!

Had overnight guests and made this recipe for breakfast. It was a major hit, especially with my adult son who steadfastly claims to hate oatmeal. No one could believe it was healthy because it tasted so good.. A definite keeper!

I’m making this for the second time in three days. My whole family absolutely loves it! The first time I prepped it at night and put it in the fridge overnight so we could bake it fresh in the morning. Turned out great! Today I added some dried organic cranberries and I think that will add the tanginess I love in baked goods. Thanks for another great recipe!

I made this last night so I’d have a sweet treat at night and then breakfast for today. It was delicious! I added shredding coconut and I really liked how it tasted with it. The carrot shreds I made didn’t really bake into the oatmeal like I’d hoped like it has with carrot cake cupcakes I made, so next time I’ll probably shred them with a finer grader. But I’m definitely making this again!

That’s so nice of you to give thanks to your recipe testers – I see how much you appreciate them. I bet they super appreciate being able to test your recipes =)
This sounds like an awesome breakfast Angela!

ps. if you need more recipe testers for the next cookbook – lemme know, I’m more than happy to help =D

I just made this recipe and it was delicious! Instead of using almond milk, I subbed carrot juice. It lent the oatmeal an even deeper orange hue and contributed to the carrot cake effect. It may also be a good option for people who cannot consume nuts (if the walnuts are also subbed, of course).

Also- congrats on your cookbook and baby! I have already made many of your recipes from the book, and have been enjoying every one.

I’m enjoying my first bowl of this right now. It is SO good, probably the best oatmeal I’ve ever had! The maple syrup (along with the raisins and carrots) add just the right amount of sweetness. I didn’t even feel the need to top it with yogurt or more maple syrup. I will definitely be making this again and again.

I have made this twice, now. It is absolutely delicious and suitable for company! In fact, plan to serve it at Easter Brunch. Thank you so much for a clever recipe – have baked my oatmeal in the past but never thought to make it carrot cake style.

I made a 1/2 recipe with great success to avoid leftovers however, I have stored baked and stovetop oatmeal before in the fridge for 3-5 days or freezer for longer! I like to pan fry my oatmeal to reheat it but a micro or oven would be fine too!

My and my BF finally had a morning off together so I jumped out of the bed to make this recipe! To quote him “This is probably the best recipe with vegetables you’ve ever made….for breakfast”.

It was simple, quick, and so sinfully delicious! The best part is I usually have all these ingredients on hand (except raisins because I detest them but they were good in this dish so I will now be keeping raisins in stock).

This recipe is insanely delicious! My hubby and I just finished a 30 day juice fast, and this was our very first meal eating food again. It did not disappoint…and the coconut whipped cream! Where has that been all my life?
Thanks for the awesome inspiration and recipe ideas!!!

Just made this, it was delicious! At first I was concerned the liquid wouldn’t absorb, but thankfully it did. Next time, I’ll probably add a bit more maple syrup and maybe use a vegan whipped cream from the can- I don’t think my parents liked the coconut flavor. But the walnuts and rasins really made the dish.

I have hated oatmeal my entire life, and for years have been trying it in every form and recipe possible because I feel I should like it. I keep trying, and I keep losing hope. I made this today and all I can say is HOORAY! I FINALLY found an oatmeal recipe that I like. One that I will eat. One that I will look forward to eating. Thank you!

This was delicious! It really tasted just like carrot cake! Next time I make this (and there WILL be a next time!) I will grate the carrots, since I used bagged “shredded carrots” for convenience.. they were too thick and didn’t cook so they were too crunchy (especially for my 18 month old). I would also use a smaller pan… I used the recommended 8X11 and it seemed a little dried out, so I think a smaller square pan might work well next time. Thank you for the wonderful recipe – everyone loved it!

I should also mention that I baked this in an RV when we were camping at the beach, and I’m not sure the oven was regulating well – I think it was too hot. That may be the reason for it being dried out, and not a reflection of the recipe! :)

Thank you so much for posting this delicious recipe!! I have made it several times and it is one of the few things that actually helps me get out of bed in the morning — I’m looking forward to breakfast! I add a little unsweetened coconut as well and it’s fantastic!

I am so happy to have found your blog, and book, too. My family loves the Glo Bars and every breakfast I’ve tried has been fantastic. This week we’ll be making the hummus and kale chips. Thank you for all of your inspiration and delicious, healthy recipes!! They are absolutely wonderful!

Just made this! Absolutely delicious! Had it for a lunch dessert after we had the Empowered Noodle Bowl (orange maple miso) which was also really tasty. Will be eating both again tomorrow!
thank you :)

I made this carrot cake baked oatmeal over the weekend. It is soo good! I’ve had it in the fridge for three days now and it is still moist. I love how the raisins plumed up and are so juicy.

Thank you Angela for all of your hard work and open sharing. I am falling in love with whole foods-based vegan cooking and it all started with buying my sister your cookbook for Christmas. It shipped to my house after it was released in March and I asked to borrow it for a few weeks. Since then I’ve made so many of your recipes (from the book and your blog) that I have lost count. Each one has been simple, filling and satisfying. And there’s so much more I want to try!

I’ve made this multiple times now. It’s amazing! When I’m out of almond milk, I’ve used the leftover coconut water from the coconut whipped cream. Or even plain water. Any way I make it, it’s scrumptious!!

Love, love, love this recipe!!! I make a double batch and keep the extras in the frig so I can eat it all week. Unfortunately my teenager usually gets to the leftovers before I do. At least she’s eating healthy, right? I have replaced the maple syrup with about 1/4 c agave nectar and the walnuts with almonds or pecans. Super yummy! Thank you so much.
Many blessings,
J

This was incredibly easy to make and it smelled delicious while it was baking. My ten year old son even asked, “What smells so good?” I was expecting it to taste a tad sweeter, so next time I’m going to try adding more raisins and pineapple as other posts suggested.

I made the carrot cake baked oatmeal morning. My husband and I both loved it! I plan to try it with the addition of flaked coconut next time. I attempted to make the coconut whipped cream, but it didn’t turn out. I’ll try again next time with another brand of coconut milk and see if that makes the difference.

So, Ang – I have a terrible, terrible confession to make. I’ve pretty much never properly used a recipe in my life (because I consistently mess them up so badly!) but I’m officially going turn over a new leaf and try to perfect some of these baby’s in the upcoming weeks so I can not only reap all this goodness, but also so participate in conversations about how your dishes turn out when I try them since everyone in my family now has the book and everyone is talking about it (literally…everyone!). I might have to start here…or the kale chips..I have REALLY messed those up before! lol. I was checking out GF oatmeal today and thinking…I could really go for some of this! This looks freakin’ awesome!

Thanks so much for this recipe! I prepared it this morning, only I exchanged the raisins with goji berries, exchanged the Agave nectar (I believe you should discourage people from using it, as it has a number of troublesome short-term and long-term side effects) with Trader Joe’s organic honey, and blended the walnuts with 1 small green apple and a little bit more milk, for a smooth spread over the oatmeal. Everyone loved it! My only after thought was to remind myself to double the quantity of apples I use for the top spread, as my family is not avid to use whipped cream. Overall, I am very pleased, though. I doubled each ingredient, so I look forward to another lovely breakfast, tomorrow. I look forward to using more of your recipes in the future. I plan on making your tofu quiche tomorrow, actually! I’ll review how that turns out for me, as well. It’s how I found your website, actually. I needed a good tofu recipe, found one, and wandered through other parts of your site. Another suggestion I would make is, if possible, if you could give a rough estimate of the calories in one serving (in cups) of the dishes you prepare. I’m sure it would benefit many of your readers, as I assume most of your readers are also very health conscious.

Hi Melody,
This recipe calls for pure maple syrup, not agave nectar. I also considered using honey instead because it is my go-to baking sweetener, however the maple syrup gave the dish an amazing flavour.

I wonder if these would be good as muffins? By the way, I absolutely love your cookbook. I got it from my boyfriend for my birthday because I had talked about wanting it for months. Once I got it, I started cooking from it right away and loved everything I made so far! Everyone in my family has loved the recipes, and they aren’t particularly into eating healthy or vegan/vegetarian! Even my parents who love a good beef burger have asked me for the recipe for the portabella mushroom burgers with sun dried tomatoes! My family can’t even tell the dishes I make from the cookbook are vegan, and when I tell them, they don’t even care! They used to cringe when I would tell them the meal was vegan, and make fun of me. Thank you for turning things around for me!

Wahey! Carrot cake for breakfast has been officially approved!! I can’t wait for brekkie! I have seen recipes like this around, but your pictures are tantalizing as usual. I can’t resist any longer, even if I have had proper carrot cake for 3 days running now! (Gotta love dinner party leftovers..)

I made this last night for breakfast this morning, and a third of it was eaten before we went to bed. It is amazing! Such a quick, delicious and nutritious breakfast. I used maple syrup roasted almonds instead of walnuts, mixed the raisins in as opposed to sprinkling on top (with a couple extra tablespoons), and used nutmeg instead of ginger. I will be making this very often, thank you for the great recipe!

Hi! I just made your ‘on the mend Lentil soup’ (love) and i’m making this tomorrow since I’m obsessed with baked oatmeals lately. The apple one In your book looks to die for as well!

I’m wondering if the texture of this one is soft like bread pudding or cakier? Whenever I add a flax egg replacer to the milk mixture I find it makes the oatmeal softer/fluffier and easier to reheat (for texture) but I’ve never tried no egg or flax replacement at all. Any response is appreciated.

I just wanted to say thank you. I recently began my journey back to veganism after taking a year break. I discovered your blog two days ago, ordered your cookbook (just arrived and is stunning). Your recipes make me extremely hopeful that I can get back on track, living the lifestyle I felt the most beautiful and healthy in. I just baked the above recipe and…wow. I missed this. Thanks again :)

Oh my goodness, I don’t really like oat meal (usually I force it down because it is good for me). This is seriously amazing! I love it! I reduced the maple syrup a little, and it still came out delicious! I also have to say that my husband and I follow a vegan mostly gluten free diet lately and we have used many of your recipes and they are seriously fantastic! Thank you!

I made this! It was pretty easy to make and understand all the ingredients usually that’s a deciding factor for me if I don’t know what some things are but everything here was self explanatory :) the hardest part was trying to grate the ginger but I managed. To take bake time was 32 min I turned it around halfway to make sure it cooked evenly. Meanwhile I did make the coconut whipped cream too which was pretty good first time I’ve had it. I think I may want to try adding pineapple to the carrot cake recipe to make it even more like it. Overall it turned out pretty good I’m happy :) thanks for the recipe, I made in a 10×10 pan about 9-12 servings because it was not cut the same.

This is the best – THE BEST – oatmeal I have ever eaten. I baked it and then put it in the fridge for breakfasts during the week. I heat it up and drizzle it with a little extra maple syrup and almond milk. It’s my new favorite breakfast. Well done.

Made this for Christmas morning breakfast and it was soooo good! The night before, I mixed together the dry ingredients; then separately mixed together the wet ingredients & stored in the fridge overnight; in the morning, mixed together the wet & dry then topped with the raisins & nuts, popped in the oven, and was ready after gift opening. Loved it!

This is a great idea! I made it this morning with some modifications. It’s delicious and hearty. I subbed a 1/2 cup of the milk with egg whites (adds protein and a more solid texture). I also added a scoop of protein powder. I didn’t have any maple syrup, but I don’t like adding much sugar to my baked stuff so I used only 3 TBSP of some agave honey. The protein powder had sweet already in it so leaving out the maple syrup in total was fine.

Do you have the nutritional value with calories per serving? I like to keep track of my daily intake. Made the Carrot Cake Oatmeal, it was awesome!! Might try adding a variation in the future such as cranberries, etc.

I’m not sure if it is the combonation of ginger and maple syrup, or what, but this tastes very decadent! And I love that about this oatmeal! I make it the night before and have it for the next few days for breakfast – such a quick and easy way to feel like you are eating something special in the mornings!

I made this for a breakfast potluck and several asked me for the recipe. I think the fresh ginger gives it a nice zing, and putting the walnuts and raisins on top ensure that every bite gets that chewy/crunchy goodness.

I made some for just my husband and I, because I love carrot cake, and this did not disappoint. The flavor gets even better overnight in the fridge after baking.My husband and I meant to heat it back up when we took it from the fridge, but it tasted so good cold, we never ended up heating it up! Thanks for this easy, healthy recipe! I love I can bake once and have breakfast for 2 days. I would say three, but it doesn’t last…

Thank you for creating this recipe. I’d never baked oatmeal before but my first try with this recipe worked out excellently – really enjoyed it. The flavours of the spices and texture of the nuts and raisins all work perfectly. I’m am trying to maximise the amount of vegetables I eat (I’m not vegan or vegetarian currently) and beefed up the carrots a little to just over 2 cups – this worked out fine – loved it – and leftovers reheat up nicely in the microwave with a splash of almond milk in a bowl – thank you!

Just made this tonight, and it was delicious…thank you!! I thought I had maple syrup at home but didn’t, and was not about to trudge through bad weather to get it. I substituted agave syrup for it, and it tastes just fine to me!

I love how every time I make something of yours, it turns out looking just like the picture, minus fancy dishes. Thank you for being honest!! Why not, when the food is so pretty? Same goes for prep times, yours are consistently spot-on.

This is delicious topped it with maple-cashew cream cheese frosting mmmmmmmmmmmmm

Wow, talking about dessert for breakfast! This is so good! I subbed the maple syrup for apple butter (I live in The Netherlands and maple syrup is not very common here, if available, very expensive) and topped it off with pumpkin seeds and dried cranberries. My husband, who considers anyone who eats veggies for breakfast a total whacko, is even considering eating it. I’m thinking about trying it with zucchini next time! Thanks for the recipe, Angela!

This stuff is so good!! Just finished a big bowl of it! It somehow reminds me of the inside of an eggy custard tart. I made half the recipe, no walnuts and no raisins (raisins are gross imo), but i was heavier on the spices! The dish I used wasn’t too big so the oats reduced to a thinner layer than in the image which meant more ‘crusty bits’! Thanks for the recipe!

This was SO good. I had some leftover for dinner tonight after a long day at work, had it with peanut butter drizzle over the top. Just warmed a small amount of almond milk on the stove and stirred in raw fresh ground peanut butter until it was at creamy pourable consistency and then dribbled that all over the top. Added a tiny bit of almond milk to the bowl around the oatmeal square and a sprinkling of cinnamon then DEVOURED it. Like dessert for dinner. So freaking good. Thank you!

I tried this recipe and love the texture and idea. Since I had leftovers after 2 days I didnt want it to go bad therefore I store it in the freezer. I then realized that the bottom on some areas was black. Is this no longer good to eat? Or is this normal?

I made this today for a brunch with definitely-not-vegan folks and it was a huge hit. The coconut cream didn’t totally work – I’ll have to keep working on that – but even as a thickened sauce, it worked…..

YUMMO! loved it! used crushed pinapple and two droppers of liquid stevia in place of the maple syrup. It is important to not over-cook this. I halved the recipe and cooked for twenty minutes and it was perfect!

Hi Jackie, Unfortunately, I haven’t calculated that nutritional info myself, and so I don’t know it offhand. But if you pop the recipe into an online tool like nutritiondata.com or caloriecount.com, you should be able to find out the calorie count fairly quickly and easily. Hope this helps!

I made cooked whole oat groats instead of rolled oats. I then combined the ingredients, except milk, and dehydrated this for my backpacking trips. I added powdered coconut milk and hot water to rehydrate. This is an amazing backpacking meal!!! Thank you Angela!

Wow! This is a pretty creative and ingenious innovation. Thanks so much for the tip. I can’t wait to try this recipe using the groat and quinoa alternatives that have been mentioned throughout the replies. Never would have thought of the dehydrating and dehydrating applications. Wonderful :)

Thanks so much for this recipe – I’ve made it so many times since I’ve discovered it. It’s become one of my go-tos and has inspired me to try variations with different fruit etc. Also made your granola recipe from your first cookbook the other day. Dangerous stuff! :) Love your work!

I’m not a big fan of oatmeal but this is sooooo delicious. It has become my go to breakfast because it’s so yummy, healthy, and convenient. I make a batch and then I can reheat a portion in the morning. I discovered the recipe from My Fitness Pal. I also tried a few other recipes .. lentil mushroom balls and oatmeal squares. My husband and I are trying to incorporate more vegan and vegetarian meals into our diet. Looking forward to trying more of your recipes. They’ve all been a hit so far. Thank you so much for sharing!

I made these tonight, with a vegan maple-walnut cream on top. It was delicious!! My husband is a “passive vegan” in the sense that he will eat everything I cook, and he gave this dessert/breakfast a 10/10!! Thank you for all your great vegan recipes!! :D

I’m a big fan of baked oatmeal as it reminds me of leisurely breakfasts enjoyed in some of my favourite New England B and B’s (ah, happy days)! Have made this carrot cake variation a few times now and adding the suggested pineapple, coconut and pecans makes it a healthy, yet decadent breakfast delight which may rival the more calorie rich indulgences savored on getaway weekends. Thanks so much for that dear Angela :)

I wanted to post here about a new discovery I made when I prepared this recipe early this wintery week. I tweeked the recipe a bit, hoping it would make a nice holiday breakfast. And what a happy discovery! By adding a little blackstrap malasses, subbing in Christmas seasoning (basically your golden milk or chai spices I guess-cinnamom, pinch of termeric, ginger, nutmeg, etc.) and adding diced figs, apricots, dates, and dried cherries, this baked oatmeal smelled divine in the oven and tasted very much like plum pudding/figgy pudding! We reheated it in the oven after dinner (believe it or not it gets better with reheating) and served it for dessert. It was such a satisfying and tantalizing holiday treat which felt completely indulgent, and yet was packed with healthy ingredients! This will become a new seasonal favourite in our home for certain.

How had I not ever tried this recipe before?! I made it this morning (came together SO quickly), and it was SO good! I used almond-coconut milk blend because that’s what I had on hand, and I used dried cranberries instead of raisins, because that’s what I had, but otherwise followed the recipe. I’ve been snacking on it all day! I will be making this again on a regular basis!

I have made this several times now (along with the other baked oatmeals) and its a winner. So delicious and easy. I love that I can get it ready the night before and pop in the oven in the morning. Great to bring to work and warm up for a mid morning snack. Its like eating joy – is that even possible – it is now!!

Oh my gosh……I just made this and it is incredible! I finely shredded the carrots, subbed some of the Almond milk with Whole milk, and I added a few more raisins on top. Also, I got this crazy idea to mix up a little bit of cream cheese, maple syrup, milk, vanilla, and cinnamon, and make a glaze/topping to go on top, and holy cow, it was literally like eating decadent carrot cake! I freaking LOVED it! Now, I realize that adding this glaze on was just adding unnecessary calories….but oh man was it tasty. Thanks for the great recipe! I check your blog every now and then, but I need to start checking it more often!

Hi! I made this for Sunday morning breakfast before church and it was amazing. Probably the best oatmeal I’ve ever eaten. I also used cow’s milk and added 1/4 tsp. of cloves. We served it with half and half poured over the top of each serving. Decadent without feeling guilty. Thanks for this great recipe!

OMG- my roommate and I made this for breakfast this morning and it was amazing! We go to medical school in the caribbean and only have a toaster oven, but were determined to try this out. Even though it is so hot outside, having this in the morning was perfect and an amazing start to the day! Since our oven is small, I made the full recipe but divided it in half into 2 smaller dishes. I left it in the fridge overnight and woke up early to put it in the oven – worked great! I froze the other dish, so hopefully that works.
Thanks for the great recipe Angela! I got one of your cookbooks for Christmas and want to try making even more things from it. I am not a vegan but love seeing what other food there is out there and am open to trying almost anything. Keep on creating!